Mobile track tamping machine

ABSTRACT

A rotatable tamping tool carrier mounts a series of successive vibratory tamping tools extending in a vertical plane parallel to the track like spokes in a wheel about an axis of rotation extending transversely of the track. The tamping tool ends extend in a circle passing through the cribs beneath the tamping tool carrier whereby successive tamping tools continuously and successively tamp the ballast in successive cribs and under successive ties as the mobile track tamping machine, on which the carrier is mounted, continuously advances along the track.

United States Patent [45] July 11, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 291.762 10/1953 Sweden I 04/l 2 OTHER PUBLICATIONS German Printed Application: Helgemeier- R 131 18ll/20h 9- 1955.

Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Atrorney-Kurt Kelman 57] ABSTRACT A rotatable tamping tool carrier mounts a series of successive vibratory tamping tools extending in a vertical plane parallel to the track like spokes in a wheel about an axis of rotation extending transversely of the track. The tamping tool ends extend in a circle passing through the cribs beneath the tamping tool carrier whereby successive tamping tools continuously and successively tamp the ballast in successive cribs and under successive ties as the mobile track tamping machine. on which the carrier is mounted, continuously advances along the track.

22 Claims. 4 Drawing figures Plasser et al.

[54] MOBILE TRACK TAMPING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Franz Plaster; Jose! Theurer. both of Johannesgasse 3.. Vienna 1. Austria [22] Filed: July 13. 1970 [2i] Appl. No.: 54,470

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 24. I969 Austria ..7l77/69 52 0.5.0 .104: [51] lnt.Cl 4 ..E0lb27/l6 [58] Field olSem-ch ........l04/l2. 10, ll;

[56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.938.439 5/1960 Robison ..lO4/l2 3.380.395 4/1968 Plasser et al.. ...I04/l2 2.043.585 6/l936 Kerwin ..l04/l2 ED -d i l m T a P m 5 QOBNV m ER M a v E 5 2 N 3 7 3 3 m9 1 K 6 I /O\C m m El 4.; M MIF HF m E E mm K F J 2 E W 1 I mm. NS m s u n n owl m m III. 8T M g Iv h w\wm 3 m. w E i II III M 2 Q I 3 S A E ll m H mfil MOBILE TRACK TAMPING MACHINE The present invention relates to a mobile track tamping machine which continuously advances along a track in a working direction and wherein vibratory tamping tools which are vertically adjustable in respect of the machine frame may be immersed in the cribs defined between adjacent track ties for tamping the ballast.

Conventional tampers of this type usually comprise a vertically adjustable tamping tool carrier mounting the tamping tools for engagement with and/or immersion in the ballast beneath the carrier. During the tamping operation, the machine is advanced intermittently from crib to crib so that the tamping tools can tamp the ballast in each crib and/or under the adjacent ties while the machine stands still, the tamping tool carrier then being lifted to move the tamping tools out of engagement with the ballast and to enable the machine to be moved on to the next working station. While automated programming of such conventional tampers, such as described in US. Pat. No. 3,127,848, dated Apr. 7, 1964, for instance, has made it possible to speed up operations considerably, the work nevertheless progresses only intermittently.

It is the primary object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage and to provide a mobile track tamping machine which advances continuously along the track during the tamping operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a machine wherein the tamping tools are moved into and out of their operative position in a simple and continuous manner by a single drive.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention with a mobile track tamping machine which comprises a frame and a tamping tool carrier mounted on the frame and rotatable in the working direction of the continuously advancing machine about an axis extending perpendicularly to the track and transversely thereto. A series of successive vibratory tamping tools are mounted on the carrier in a vertical plane parallel to the track. The ends of the tamping tools extend in a circle passing through the cribs beneath the tamping tool carrier whereby successive tamping tools continuously and successively tamp the ballast in successive cribs and under successive ties as the machine continuously advances along the track.

In a preferred embodiment, the tamping tool carrier is acontinuously rotatable axle and the tamping tools are substantially radially arranged on the axle, all angles between adjacent radially extending tools being equal. Such an arrangement assures the proper engagement of the tamping tool ends with equidistant cribs for tamping the ballast.

As the successive tamping tools in such a tamping tool assembly rotate in the direction of the track, the radial direction under which the vibratory tools exert their tamping pressure on the ballast changes very advantageously. in a first tamping stage and as a radially extending tamping tool enters a crib, the tamping tool will be directed towards a forwardly positioned tie so that the tool will tamp ballast under the tie. 1n the succeeding tamping stage, the radially extending tamping tool will be rotated into a position wherein it extends vertically downwardly to tamp the ballast down in the center of the crib and thus to displace it laterally underneath the adjacent ties. Finally, the tool will be rotated into a position wherein it is radially inclined towards the rear tie so that it will tamp ballast under this tie. Thus, a particularly advantageous tamping of the ballast is obtained.

This effect is reinforced in accordance with one preferred feature of the invention with a tamping tool comprising a tamping tool holder wherein the end is replaeeably mounted. The tamping tool end or headis of substantially T-shaped cross section to define a pair of concave tamping surfaces facing respective ones of a pair of ties defining the crib whereinto the tamping tool end is immersed while the cross bar of the T- shaped tamping tool end faces the ballast in the crib in a downward direction. This will provide tamping pressure components of sufficient depth and surface effect.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description of certain now preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompartying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a side view of a mobile track tamping machine according to this invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show modifications of tamping tool ends useful in the machine; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross section of the tamping tool assembly shown in FIG. I, with the tamping tools being rotated into a vertical position.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts functioning in a like manner in all figures, there is shown a mobile track tamping and leveling machine comprising a frame mounted on trucks 101, 101 for continuously advancing along the track 102 in a working direction, the track including two rails mounted on successive ties 103 resting on ballast 104 defining cribs between the ties. Vertically adjustably mounted on elongated machine frame 100 between the rear and front trucks 101 is a tamping tool carrier shaft 105. A series of six successive vibratory tamping tools 106 are mounted on the shaft 105 in a vertical plane parallel to the track 102 and extend substantially radially from the carrier shaft, the axis of the tamping tools enclosing equal angles. The arrangement of the tamping tools and the angles adjacent tools enclosed are so selected that a pair of adjacent tools may extend radially divergently into two adjacent cribs simultaneously, as shown in the rotative position of the tamping tool assembly in FIG. 1, the ends of the tamping tools being immersed in the ballast since the ends of all the tampin g tools of the assembly extend in a circle passing through the cribs beneath the tamping tool carrier shaft 105. As this shaft is rotated, successive tamping tools 106 continuously and successively tamp the ballast in successive cribs and under successive ties as the machine continuously advances along the track in the direction of the horizontal arrow atop FIG. 1. The speed of the machine advance is preferably at a desired ratio of the rotating speed of the tamping tool carrier shaft.

The carrier shafi 105 is journaled in a housing 107 which has a pair of bushings 111, 111 vertically glidably mounted on vertical columns 110, of support frame 109. A hydraulic motor 108 is mounted between the housing 107 and the support frame 109 for vertically moving the housing and the carrier shaft with it upon actuation of the motor. Furthermore, the carrier shaft is movable not only in a direction vertical to the track but also in a direction parallel thereto by a hydraulic motor 112 mounted between the support frame 109 and the machine frame 100, the support frame being glidably mounted on a horizontally extending rail or beam carried by machine frame 100.

For sake of clarity of illustration, the upper frame portion of housing 107, which is visible in FIG. 4, is not shown in H6. 1 while the hydraulic motor 108 is not illustrated in FIG. 4.

The illustrated track tamping machine is a track leveling machine including generally conventional means used in track leveling, including a track moving unit mounted forwardly of the tamping tool assembly in the working direction of the machine. This track moving unit consists of pairs of rail gripping rollers 113 which constantly engage the respective rails while the machine continuously advances so that the track may be moved in relation to and controlled by a reference system in a manner well known per se. 1f the tamping and leveling operation is to proceed without interruption All a truly continuous manner, the track moving unit must be so arranged that it can be moved in relation to the track with the machine while it operates. The rail gripping rollers 113 are mounted on a support 114 which also carries rimmed rollers 115 running on the track rails. If it is desired to use the machine also as a track liner, drive means may be connected to the rimmed rollers 115 for transversely moving these rollers while they grip the rails. For leveling, a hydraulic motor 116 is mounted between the machine frame 100 and the support 1 l4 so that the unit may be lifted. The lifted position of the forward track section is indicated in FIG. 1, at the left, by the spaces between the ties and the underlying ballast while, at the right, the tamped condition of the ballast after leveling is indicated.

The illustrated reference system is of a known type and includes a reference beam 117 extending between a sender 118 and a receiver 119 which are mounted on a vertical rod 120 which are guided in the machine frame 110 by vertical bores 122 wherein they are vertically freely movable, the rods being supported on the track rail by rollers 121. As shown, the front and rear ends of the reference line 117 are mounted in the range of the front and rear trucks of the machine frame while a step 123 is similarly mounted on roller I25 for free vertical movement in guides 122 between the trucks adjacent the track moving unit so as to control the operation of this unit in relation to the reference line. When the desired level of the track has been reached, the stop 123 interrupts the reference beam, thus producing a control signal at the receiver to terminate the operation of the track moving unit motor 116. If the machine is also to be used for lining, a conventional reference system for controlling the lateral movement of the track is also associated with the machine.

H6. 4 shows the arrangement of the tamping tool assembly in greater detail. The semi-cylindrical housing 107 has a pair of bearings [27 receiving the hubs of a drum I26 mounted on the carrier shaft 105. The shaft has the form of an eccenter or cam shaft whose cam surfaces are associated with the tamping tools which are mounted on the shaft so that the same serves not only as a tamping tool carrier but also as a common vibrating means for the tamping tools when the shafi is rotated by drive motor 128 which is coaxially coupled to one end of shaft 105.

The drum 126 has radially extending guide sleeves I30 receiving the vibratory tamping tools 106 for longitudinal movement therein. Bearings 129 for shaft 105 are mounted in the hubs of the drum. The longitudinally extending tamping tool holders 13] of the tamping tools are glidably mounted in the guide sleeves 130 and are replaceably mounted on the carrier arms 132 by means of bolts 133. As shown in FIG. 4, the tamping tools 106 of the assembly are arranged in vertical planes on each side of the vertical plane passing through rail 102. Intermediate the two groups of tamping tools and substantially in the vertical plane of rail 102, the rotating carrier shaft 105 carries a fly-wheel 134.

One half of the tamping tools of the entire assembly are mounted symmetrically about the shaft on bearings 135, like spokes on a wheel, their eccentricity being opposite to that of the other half of the tamping tools. This produces a desirable equilibrium in the eccentricity of all the tools and a minimal transmission of vibrations to the support frame 109. It is particularly advantageous so to interleaf the carrier arms 132 of radially oppositely extending pairs of tamping tools that the longitudinal axis of the tools extend substantially in a common plane, as more fully described in U. S. Pat. No. 3,429,277, dated Feb. 25, 1969, entitled Ballast Tamping Assembly".

As shown in FIG. 4, the drum 126, which forms part of the tamping tool carrier, carries elements 142 for engagement with the track, for instance the ballast or the ties, upon the continuous advance of the machine. During this advance and upon such engagement, the track engaging elements 142 automatically rotate the drum. ln addition, these elements serve as protective vanes for the tamping tools and prevent undesirable displacement of the tamped ballast towards the center of the track.

If desired and as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, an additional drive 143 may be connected to the drum 126 for rotating the same.

The ends of heads 136 of the tamping tools are replaceably mounted on the tamping tool holders by means of bolts 137 engaging an elongated slot 137' in the holders so that the radial distance of the tamping tool ends from the carrier I may be adjusted.

As shown in HO. 1, the tamping tool heads 136 may be of substantially T-shaped cross section to define a pair of concave tamping surfaces facing respective ones of a pair of ties 103 defining the crib whereinto the tamping tool head is immersed while the cross bar of the T-shaped tamping tool head faces the ballast in the crib in a downward direction.

In many tamping operations, it will be found advantageous to use differently shaped tamping tool heads on successive tamping tools of the assembly, and since the tamping tool heads are preferably replaceably mounted on their holders, suitably shaped tamping tool heads may be readily provided for specific tamping operations. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate two modifications of useful tamping tool heads. in these modifications, the tamping tool heads comprise freely pivotal ballast tamping elements mounted at the tamping tool ends, which elements have a curvi-linear, convex tamping surface facing the ballast.

In FIG. 2, the tamping element is a freely rotatable roller 140. Furthermore, the tamping tool element is yieldably movably mounted on the holder by means of a pressure fluid cylinder M1 in the holder, which glidably receives a piston attached to the element 140. This pressure fluid drive may be operated to press the roller against the ballast.

in the modification of F K}. 3, the tamping element is a convexly curved surface tamper 138 freely pivotally mounted on a cam shaft motor 139 for vibrating the tamping element.

Thus, it is possible not only to adjust the length of the tamping tools so as to determine the outer diameter of the tamping tool assembly and the relative distance between the outer ends of the tamping tools in the assembly but also to adjust the pressure of the tamping tool ends on the ballast and to vibrate each tamping tool separately.

It will be appreciated that, for practical purposes, it will be desirable to associate a tamping tool assembly with each rail as in conventional tampers, each assembly being preferably independently vertically movable and operable. lt may also be useful and advantageous to mount a succession of two or more such tamping tool assemblies on the machine frame.

Many variations and modifications of the illustrated embodiments will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the tamping tool carrier need not include a shaft, wheel or drum but could be a driven conveyor band or chain whereon the tamping tools are mounted for movement of the tamping tool ends in a circle. Several tamping tool assemblies extending in different or the same vertical planes and overlapping in their operational range may be used to produce desired tamping effects. Thus, the scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A mobile track tamping machine, the track including two rails mounted on successive ties resting on ballast defining cribs between the ties, and the machine being continuously advanceable along the track in a working direction, comprismg l. a frame,

2. a tamping tool carrier mounted on the frame,

a. the tamping tool carrier being rotatable in said direction about a horizontal axis extending perpendicularly and transversely to the track, and

b. the advance of the machine being correlated with the speed of rotation of the carrier, and

3. a series of successive vibratory tamping tools mounted on the carrier in a vertical plane parallel to the track,

a. the ends of the tamping tools extending about said carrier and successive ones of the tamping ends being engageable with the ballast in the cribs beneath the carrier to continuously and successively tamp the ballast in successive ones of the cribs and under successive ones of the ties as the machine continuously advances along the track, the machine advance and the rotational speed of the carrier being correlated to provide relative movement between the ballast and the engaged tamping tool ends, and

b. the tamping tools being vertically adjustable in respect of the frame.

2. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein the tamping tool carrier is continuously rotatable.

3. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein the tamping tools are substantially radially arranged on the tamping tool carrier, all angles between adjacent ones of the radially extending tools being equal.

4. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the distance of the tamping tool ends from the axis of the carrier whereby the radius of said circle and the relative spacing of adjacent tamping tool ends is adjustable.

5. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 4, wherein each tamping tool comprises a tool holder and the tamping tool end is movably mounted on the holder for adjusting the distance thereof from the carrier axis.

6. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 5, wherein the tamping tool end is yieldably movably mounted on the holder.

7. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 4, further comprising power means for pressing the tamping tool end against the ballast.

8. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable eccenter shaft supporting the tamping tool carrier, the eccenter shaft constituting a common means for vibrating the tamping tools mounted on the carrier upon rotating of the shaft.

9. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 8, wherein an even number of said tamping tools is symmetrically arranged on the tamping tool carrier about said shaft in said vertical plane, the eccentricity of one half of the tools being opposite to the eccentricity of the other half of the tools.

10. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a separate means for vibrating each of said tamping tools, each vibrating means being arranged at the end of the tamping tool.

ll. The mobile track tamping machine of claim I, further comprising elements arranged on the tamping tool carrier for engagement with the track upon the continuous advance of the machine, said track engaging elements automatically rotating the carrier upon engagement with the track.

12. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a drive for rotating the tamping tool carrier.

13. The mobile track tamping machine of claim I, further comprising means for vertically adjustably mounting the tamping tool carrier on the frame.

14. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1. further comprising means for adjustably mounting the tamping tool carrier on the frame for movement in the direction of the track.

15. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 14, wherein the means for moving the carrier in said direction includes a power drive.

16. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein each tamping tool comprises a tamping tool holder and its end is replaceably mounted on the holder, the tamping tool end being of substantially T-shaped cross section to define a pair of concave tamping surfaces facing respective ones of a pair of ties defining the crib whereinto the tamping tool end is immersed while the cross bar of the T-shaped tamping tool end faces the ballast in the crib in a downward direction.

17. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising freely pivotal ballast tamping elements mounted at the tamping tool ends, said tamping elements having a curvilinear, convex tamping surface facing the ballast.

18. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 17, wherein the tamping elements are freely rotatable rollers.

19. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 17, wherein the tamping elements are convexly curved surface tampers.

20. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein each tamping tool comprises a tamping tool holder and its end is replaceably mounted on the holder, at least some of the successive tamping tools having differently sha ed ends.

21. The mobile track tamping machine 0 claim 1, wherein a separate one of said tamping tool carriers is associated with each of said rails.

22. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a track moving unit mounted on the frame and a reference system arranged for cooperation with the moving unit to move the track in relation to and controlled by the reference system. 

1. A mobile track tamping machine, the track including two rails mounted on successive ties resting on ballast defining cribs between the ties, and the machine being continuously advanceable along the track in a working direction, comprising
 1. a frame,
 2. a tamping tool carrier mounted on the frame, a. the tamping tool carrier being rotatable in said direction about a horizontal axis extending perpendicularly and transversely to the track, and b. the advance of the machine being correlated with the speed of rotation of the carrier, and
 3. a series of successive vibratory tamping tools mounted on the carrier in a vertical plane parallel to the track, a. the ends of the tamping tools extending about said carrier and successive ones of the tamping ends being engageable with the ballast in the cribs beneath the carrier to continuously and successively tamp the ballast in successive ones of the cribs and under successive ones of the ties as the machine continuously advances along the track, the machine advance and the rotational speed of the carrier being correlated to provide relative movement between the ballast and the engaged tamping tool ends, and b. the tamping tools being vertically adjustable in respect of the frame.
 2. a tamping tool carrier mounted on the frame, a. the tamping tool carrier being rotatable in said direction about a horizontal axis extending perpendicularly and transversely to the track, and b. the advance of the machine being correlated with the speed of rotation of the carrier, and
 2. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein the tamping tool carrier is continuously rotatable.
 3. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein the tamping tools are substantially radially arranged on the tamping tool carrier, all angles between adjacent ones of the radially extending tools being equal.
 3. a series of successive vibratory tamping tools mounted on the carrier in a vertical plane parallel to the track, a. the ends of the tamping tools extending about said carrier and successive ones of the tamping ends being engageable with the ballast in the cribs beneath the carrier to continuously and successively tamp the ballast in successive ones of the cribs and under successive ones of the ties as the machine continuously advances along the track, the machine advance and the rotational speed of the carrier being correlated to provide relative movement between the ballast and the engaged tamping tool ends, and b. the tamping tools being vertically adjustable in respect of the frame.
 4. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the distance of the tamping tool ends from the axis of the carrier whereby the radius of said circle and the relative spacing of adjacent tamping tool ends is adjustable.
 5. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 4, wherein each tamping tool comprises a tool holder and the tamping tool end is movably mounted on the holder for adjusting the distance thereof from the carrier axis.
 6. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 5, wherein the tamping tool end is yieldably movably mounted on the holder.
 7. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 4, further comprising power means for pressing the tamping tool end against the ballast.
 8. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable eccenter shaft supporting the tamping tool carrier, the eccenter shaft constituting a common means for vibrating the tamping tools mounted on the carrier upon rotating of the shaft.
 9. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 8, wherein an even number of said tamping tools is symmetrically arranged on the tamping tool carrier about said shaft in said vertical plane, the eccentricity of one half of the tools being opposite to the eccentricity of the other half of the tools.
 10. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a separate means for vibrating each of said tamping tools, each vibrating means being arranged at the end of the tamping tool.
 11. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising elements arranged on the tamping tool carrier for engagement with the track upon the continuous advance of the machine, said track engaging elements automatically rotating the carrier upon engagement with the track.
 12. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a drive for rotating the tamping tool carrier.
 13. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising means for vertically adjustably mounting the tamping tool carrier on the frame.
 14. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising means for adjustably mounting the tamping tool carrier on the frame for movement in the direction of the track.
 15. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 14, wherein the means for moving the carrier in said direction includes a power drive.
 16. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein each tamping tool comprises a tamping tool holder and its end is replaceably mounted on the holder, the tamping tool end being of substantially T-shaped cross section to define a pair of concave tamping surfaces facing respective ones of a pair of ties defining the crib whereinto the tamping tool end is immersed while the cross bar of the T-shaped tamping tool end faces the ballast in the crib in a downward direction.
 17. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising freely pivotal ballast tamping elements mounted at the tamping tool ends, said tamping elements having a curvilinear, convex tamping surface facing the ballast.
 18. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 17, wherein the tamping elements are freely rotatable rollers.
 19. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 17, wherein the tamping elements are convexly curved surface tampers.
 20. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein each tamping tool comprises a tamping tool holder and its end is replaceably mounted on the holder, at least some of the successive tamping tools having differently shaped ends.
 21. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, wherein a separate one of said tamping tool carriers is associated with each of said rails.
 22. The mobile track tamping machine of claim 1, further comprising a track moving unit mounted on the frame and a reference system arranged for cooperation with the moving unit to move the track in relation to and controlled by the reference system. 